West Ham United hero Andy Carroll has dismissed suggestions the club will miss Dimitri Payet after he forced through a move to Marseille.
Payet went on strike at the beginning of January in a bid to force through a return to his former club.
He eventually got his wish as the Hammers were forced to accept a paltry £25 million for a player of his world class ability.
While West Ham’s results have picked up of late since the Frenchman was banished from the first team squad many have questioned how Slaven Bilic’s side will cope without their talismanic star.
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But Andy Carroll, who has stepped up to the plate in Payet’s absence, has dismissed suggestions Payet will be missed and told the Daily Mail he was not even West Ham’s best player.
“We’ve got other top players,” Carroll told Jamie Redknapp for the Daily Mail.
“(Michail) Antonio has been great.
Andy Carroll celebrates with Michail Antonio
“He’s scored the goals, played all over the pitch.
“He’s been our main player. It’s mad. Right back to centre forward, quality, power, strength — ridiculous. Ridiculous! A beast!”
Carroll makes a salient point about a player who is still massively underrated outside of West Ham.
West Ham star Winston Reid looks to have aimed a not-so-subtle dig at Dimitri Payet
Not only is Antonio the club’s top scorer this season, he was the third highest-scoring Englishman in 2016 and registered lots of assists for his teammates too.
In the recent 3-0 win over Crystal Palace he set up all three goals and got another assist in the 3-1 win over Middlesbrough last time out.
Chelsea were credited with an interest in the former non league grafter but West Ham’s best bit of business could well be keeping Antonio at the club such is his importance to the club.
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